Testing staff members for alcohol in their systems is a serious business. Failing to do so can leave you wide open to problems, both financial and reputational, if an employee has a problem with drink
Testing staff for alcohol is an important matter, and for an employer to take it seriously, clear policies must be in place. That’s according to AlcoDigital, a specialist in this field. It explains that if your procedures aren’t water-tight, there is potential for severe embarrassment.
Breathalyser testing should be done at random, except in the case of an accident involving one of your vehicles, says National Sales and Training Manager Claire Hopper. Then, test the driver as a matter of course to protect all parties concerned.
“The more random tests you carry out, the more your staff will realise that you are taking a strong stance on alcohol,” she explains.
Random testing
The simplest way of carrying out random testing is with two breathalysers. The first should be a passive example; the employee blows into an opening without touching it. If a green light follows, all is good.
Should red be displayed, best practice is to move on to a Home Office-approved breathalyser. They are similar to those used by the police, and they give an exact reading. Such approval is important should the matter come to an employment tribunal, says Claire.
Home Office-approved breathalysers supplied by AlcoDigital are compatible with a wireless printer, which generates a record of the reading. What limit should be set for alcohol in an employee’s system? Not zero, but it should be specified in their terms and conditions that anything above a prescribed limit will result in disciplinary proceedings.
“Companies need only to satisfy the balance of probabilities to take action, but wording must be clear. A limit should be specified. Equally, refusal to give a breath sample should be written into the policy as gross misconduct.
“Nine microgrammes (mg) of alcohol per 100ml of breath is a limit that indicates that alcohol has been consumed,” she adds. The drink-drive limit in England and Wales is 35mg per 100ml of breath.
Even at that level, it is proven that people cannot work at their full capacity. Importantly, if a positive result is given, the employee should be isolated for 20min before being tested again. Otherwise, an argument of mouthwash use can be made.
Examine the options
While alcohol abuse is a serious matter for PCV operators, dismissal is not the only option when it is uncovered. “A one-off fail may act as a reality check; the employer can then choose to work with a charity to help the employee. But if that happens and the employee return to work, they must do so under conditions that they will be subject to regular testing. And if they fail again, dismissal is the only option,” says Claire.
Like everything related to alcohol testing at work, it’s all in the wording.
